KP Assembly adopts three resolutions, discusses price hike

ISLAMABAD, April 19, 2021: The Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) adopted three supplementary resolutions and debated price hike in the province, says Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) in its Daily Factsheet on Monday.

Following are key observations of the House proceedings during 6th sitting of the 17th session:

Members’ Participation

  • The House met for two hours and seven minutes.
  • The sitting started at 11:57 am against the scheduled time of 11:00 am.
  • The speaker presided over the proceedings for an hour and 27 minutes while the deputy speaker chaired the remaining sitting.
  • The leaders of the house (Chief Minister) and the opposition did not attend the sitting.
  • As many as 45 (31%) legislators were present at the start and 50 (34%) at the end of the sitting.
  • One out of four minority members attended the proceedings.
  • The parliamentary leaders of PML-Q, MMAP and ANP were present.

Output

  • The House adopted three supplementary resolutions demanding to regularize the services of employees of provincial transport department, ensure legislation to protect girl children from harmful traditional practices and acquire land for construction of airport at Lass Nawab, District Mansehra.

Representation and Responsiveness

  • Sponsored by an ANP lawmaker the House debated an adjournment motion regarding price hike in the holy month of Ramadan. Ten lawmakers participated in debate for an hour and 20 twenty minutes while the Minister for labor and the Advisor to Chief Minister for food concluded the discussion.
  • Another adjournment motion on the agenda was deferred due to mover’s absence. It was regarding the closure of schools during the third wave of COVID-19.
  • A privilege motion of an ANP lawmaker against an official of Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA ) lapsed due to mover’s absence.
  • Sponsored by an ANP lawmaker, the house took up a calling attention notice (CAN) regarding financial challenges to the University of Agriculture, Dera Ismail Khan. Minister for local government responded to this notice.
  • The House did not consider another CAN due to the absence of mover which was regarding non-implementation on development programs announced for Kohat.
  • The House took up four out of nine starred questions while lawmakers asked three supplementary questions as well.

  Order and Institutionalization

  • Two lawmakers spoke on points of order for four minutes related to maternal mortality.
  • The House was adjourned to meet again on April 20 (Tuesday), 2021 at 2:00 pm.

Transparency

  • ‘List of Business’ was available to the legislators, observers and others.
  • The attendance of lawmakers was not available to the observers and media.

This daily factsheet is based on the observation of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly proceedings conducted online by United Rural Development Organization (URDO) – a member organization of FAFEN. Errors and omissions are excepted